Theater-curtain-raising device



March 27, 1928.

E. J; DOLAN ET AL ITI'IEATER CURTA IN RAISING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 31, 1926 INVENTORS EDW/VRD J- DOL/V/V PASC/f/VL THTORE I ..BY "K w MM) Mm; ATTORNEY March 27, 1928. 1,664,248

I E. J. DOLAN ET AL THEATER CURTAIN RAISING DEVICE Filed July 51, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 as 67 5a INVENTORS EOMM/PD \J- DOLE/V PHSCHflL 76 TO/QE THE IR ATTORNEY March 27, 1928. 1,664,248

E. J. DOLAN ET AL THEATER CURTAIN RAISING DEVICE Filed July 51, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lZO l/O INVENTORS EDW4E0 J- 004/) BY WWW:

THE/A ATTORNEY porting cables 10 are I material and may obviously be repeated for any desired number of scene-curtains, one back of another, each having above it the equivalent of a beam 16, it having been deemed sulficient to showonly a second drum and ourtain in the drawings to illustrate the unit construction features of our improvement.

We will now proceed to a description of the actuatin mechanism and inasmuch as the several probable duplications of the de viceare substantially identical, a single unit will first be described, giving more attention to details, and then the means will be explained whereby any required number of additional. may be added and operated.

The. curtain actuating mechanism is housed within a casing 35. whose dimensions maybe increased as required, and which is supported upon legs 36 integral with the side walls 37; end walls 38 (one only shown in the drawings), and a flat bottom portion 39 completing the casing that contains the operating mechanism, next to be described.

The drun'r 20 to which the curtain supattached in the manner described is of relatively strong and heavy firmly attached in axial alignment therewith to a worm gear 30 loosely mounted upon a non-rotatable shaft 31 and held longitudinally in place by means of the collar 32 pinned to the shaft 31 which is fixedly supported upon the respective end walls 38 of the frame case 35. The drum gear 30 is in mesh with the worm4O secured by pin 42 to the shaft 41, the shaft 41 being thus disposed transversely to the drum shaft 31 and rotatably mounted at one end upon the side wall 37 and at the other end upon what we shall term the bracket wall 34 projecting upwardly from the floor 39 of the casing; The shaft 41 is also supported intermediate its end-s upon brackets 34 and 34 similar in form and function to bracket wall 34 already described.

Adjacent an end of the shaft 41 and loosely mounted thereon are the first pair of spur gears 50, 51 to the respective inner faces whereof are fixed the oppositely disposed bevel gear rings 55, 56 in axialalignment therewith, which gear rings inturn are in mesh with the bevel pinion 57 keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 58 which is operably connected with a suitable source of power, such for example as the motor 59.

The gears EiO and 51 are held longitudinally in place on the shaft 41 by means of shoulders 52 formed on the shaft adjacent the inner faces of the gears, the outer faces thereof guided by the respective bracket walls 34 and 34*; and being driven bya single pinion 'therebetween, as pointed out, the gears of each pair are caused to rotate in opposite directions, for purposes next to be explained.

gears levices of similar construction the casing floor Upon the inner faces of the respective and 56 are provided outwardly projecting pins 53, 54 which, functioning as clutch teeth, are adapted to be engaged by corresponding pins 63 and 64 of the opposite faces of a clutch member slidably mounted upon the worm shaft 41 by means of a spline 61 suitably provided upon the shaft (shown in broken lines in. Fig. 3), the clutch when midway between the gear clutching members 55 and 56 being in a neutral or inoperative position.

For slidably actuating each clutch member 60 we provide a pair of oppositely disposed solenoids 91, 92 suitably secured to 39 and having the aligned cores 93, 94 operably supported within the respective coils thereof which, it will pre sently be seen in connection with the wiring scheme of our device, are adapted to be operated singly or together as may be desired the Winding of each solenoid being such that when energized it Will actuate its core in a direction opposite to that of the companion. coil. The cores of, the respective coils 91, 92 are operably connected to each other and to a forked lever 70 extending through the floor 39 of the casing and pivotally sup-- ported thereon by a fulcrum pin 71, as shown in Fig. 3. 'The upper end of the lever '70 has an arm 74 that branches laterally so as to include the clutch member 60 within the crotch thereof, the rolls 7 5 suitably mounted upon the inner faces of the forked members being made to enter the annular groove at the opposite sides thereof.

The lever whose primary function is to operate the clutch 60 by the means described, serves an additional function whereby a prolonged arm 76 thereof is made to operate a brake 80 comprising two hinged members 81 operably held within the drums 20, already described, in engaging relationship therewith. These braking members 81, similar in form, are hinged together and supported at the point of union upon an arm 82 preferably pinned or otherwise fixed to the stationary shaft 31, and are normally pressed outwardly against the interior-smface of the drum 20 by means of two similar coil springs 84 held in place by the pins 83 which project outwardly from the hub of the bracket arm 82 and into the members 81 of the brake band 80, the springs having A link or connecting rod 88 is pivotally connected atone end by the shouldered pin "1' geeageas to the j o'inedends ofthe to-ggle lever -85, the component members of which are normally carried into straight a-lignm'ent'by action of the springs 84 in applying'pressure outwardly to the-brake band-80, as shown in F igu3'; it will thus be seen that if the lever -70 be thrown in-eithendireotion in order to actuate the clutch member 60 in "the manner already described, the toggle members 81 will :-also be deflected and shortened, thereby reducing the operable diameter'of-the brake band 180 and thereby releasing the 'drum to "rotate synchronously with the clutch driven' parts.

We have thus described in detail a single unit mechanism for operatin a -single curtain but our improvement isobviouslyiadaptable to 'raise and lower any nuniberof curtain drops bythe simple expedientof'multiplying the drum units, including their zactuating and connecting parts, .and in the drawings we have shown in partial viewa casing 'adaptedto house a plurality oi'f such devices, in connection with whichiiteh'asibeen deemed sufficient to IllUStITRtQOIIly two unit 3 mechanisms.

- Thus ase'cond drum :is sh'own'in 4, with three separate grooves '26, L27 and 28-lfor receiving themespective cables at tached to curtain 2 :as :shown ain-zFig. 2, which cables, in the :manner already -:described in connection with curtain 1, :pass over respective pulleys 13 of .the bracket 14 which is secured to a :'beam 1.6, immediately over the curtain, athree pulleys 1'5 :mounted directly upon the beamand guiding the cables vertically from the curtain connections.

The drum .25 isin all respects .iasi'to form, connecting parts and functions eidenti'cal with the drum 20 which 'haszbeen "more'or less fully described in 'detail in:connection with itsassociated gear worm 30'andzactuating worm 40, and may therefore :be considered for purposes of this specification repre sentative of additional drums to :any desired number :to which other curtains *may --be attached, preferably in the manner described.

Thusybyilengthening the .casing'35 and with it the-stationary shaft :31 upon which the worm [gears 30 and drums 20 are lloosely mounted. the duplication of the'abov-e idescribed units as already seen maybe efi'ected by'providing additional-shafts 41 in parallel arrangement, each immediately beneath .a corresponding drum gear 30 and provided with an actuating worm 40rinmesh therewithand :actuated in the mannerdescribed.

Theradded shafts 41 will be rotatablysupported upon hearings in the :side walls 37 and bracket 'walls 34, :34 and 34" 'in :the manner Jhereina-bove described .and will :be provided with the right and left hand spur gears 51 with pins 1 or teeth '53 :and 54 respectively provided therein and :adapted -to engage corresponding :Lteeth of clutch similar to the member .60 -alrea'd-y described, the

gears 550%, :51 being fin \mesh with ithe lik'e gears 50, &1. The gears 55.0, :51, :it has "been seen, have :atta'ched ":thereto :the ibevdl. gear.

rims5 5, 56 in mesh withian'act-uatingzpinion connectedvwith zthe-operating source of PO-W- er, t-he gears 50 and 51 and succeedinglpairs 0 f similanspur gears as required, all ibeing in mesh, as 'showniin Fig. 45, :and driven by the original pair 50,: 51, do not require other means ifor their actuation; :and zit has been be shiftedopposite'ly 'to produce identical 7 action, that :is :to :say, @will move one to the right and :the other "to. the left :in order to raise the two curtains and 2 .at the same time orto lower :themsimultaneously.

(It has Fbeen. deemed "important to \point out the arrangements :and operations of the chainigears:asab.ove, to better understand-the dia rammatic wirin scheme illustrated in Fig. '5 :and presently to be described. It will, .however be readily understood that the clutch I11emb6ISZ60,Z6-1 would all move in unison 'in a given direction itO 'raise (or to lower) wall the curtains simultaneously, providing ithe cables 'running'yto the curtain should be differently :wound uponsuo ceeding drums, one ldrum having its cables attached at i one side, the drum next in order having its cable tcome' down'lto the {periphery thereof "upon "the side opposite !that of the adjacent .drums, other connections :remain- .ing the same throughout.

:Before (presenting :the schematic diagram of the electric circuits employed in icon-- nec'tion with our apparatus, :we shall describe the automatically operable mechanical means for shutting oil" :the power ithat actuates the mechanism aif the operator should fail toado so when ianyicurtain shall have reached the limit of its upward travel. .Thus, :in :order -.to preclude the nnec'hanism from over-runningandcarrying a curtain beyond its limits, we have provided a'circuit breaking-mechanism :whereby the rising curtain,:by =its own action, cuts oif :the current- :thatruns-the motor, when the 'curtain starts to travel above-a predetermined spoint. .iIn =.tl1e preferred form illustrated in the "drawings this important end is ac- .comp'lis'hed by means of .a rod '95 of 711011- conductive material, having :therein bands 95 ofmetal or other electro-conductive ma-- iteri-al, which bands are held 'in the looped portions (of mot iless Ethan :two similar-Jilr is are

shaped hanging brackets (one only. shown) which are suspended directly over .the series of curtains 1, 2, disposed sofas to be contacted by the poles 5 of the curtains transversely thereof about midway of their length.- I

At the bottom of each loop-hanger. is'provided terminals 97 suitably insulated by any convenient dielectric material as. shown in Fig. 6, upon which terminal members the respective electro-conductive bands 95 at the ends of the rod 95 rest, electrically closing thecircuit between them.

Thus the conductive bands 95 themselves act as terminals to which are connected the wires'of the motor circuit, fromavhich it will follow that when'one of the poles 5 engages the under side of the rod 95 transversely thereof, the latter member will be raised, thereby carrying the conductive bands 95 out of contact with the terminals 97 in the manner described, thereby breaking the motor circuit and shutting off the power at its source to prevent carrying the curtain beyond the upward limit of its travel.

An additional precaution has been pro vided to forestall an overrun of the actuating mechanism in either direction by means of providing a thread 45 upon each of the shafts 41 upon which screw portion is mounted a traveling nut block 46 which has a depending extension 47 that enters a slotted openingor recess 39 in the bottom 39 of the casing 35, whose side walls guide the block as it is carried forward and back by means of the screw when the shaft is caused to rotate in either direction.

At the respective ends of the passageway 89 is suitably placed any convenient form of electrical switches or circuit breaking devices 48, 49 in order to shut off the current that energizes the solenoids of the unit to which it relates, and in order to effect this break of circuit at different points, these switches are adjustably mounted andheld in place across the slots 39 by bolts 39 (see Fig. 3). I a V Thus is provided additional means for safeguarding the mechanism from overrun ning in either direction, that is, while the block 46 is traveling toward switch 48 at the left hand end of the slot 39 or towards 49 at the right hand end thereof.

Ve will now explain the wiring diagram as contained in Fig. 5, in which the armature 100 of the motor is indicated with two brushes 101, 102 respectively, which are connected to'the source of power by meansof the conductors 110 and 120, as shown. The usual rheostat 150 in series in conductor 110 is provided for regulating the speed of the motor and both conductors may be broken at either terminal 97 by means of the terminal band 95 bein lifted by any one of the curtains 1, 2 in the manner hereinabove described, the usualsolenoid operated brake being supplied for the motor and indicated at 9 9 in this circuit. y A third conductor 180 connects to the electrical source and with the conductor 120 forms thecircuit to supply the current with which all the solenoids are'operated, the conductor 130 as shown comprising in series therein a plurality of duplex switches, one for each pair of solenoids 91, 92 that oper ate a curtain, each switch comprising the two switch blades 113, 143. The blade 113 connects with a terminal of the conductor 112 whicliruns to one side of the solenoid 91,then through the coil of the solenoid to the other side thereof, thence through conductor 111to the main conductor 110. The other blade 1430f the switch similarly completes a circuit through conductor 142 to solenoid 92, thence and through conductor 141 to trunk 120. V

As has been seen, a switch member 48 is provided within the. circuit that includes the solenoid. 91 and in similar manner a switch 49 is operated by the traveling nut or block 46 upon the shaft 41 to break the circuit that supplies the current to solenoid 92 at therespective limits of the movement, which are shown'in the diagrams in conductors 112 and 142 respectively.

The trunk line 130 may alsohave in series therewith, if desired, a pair of switch tern'iinals 97 which are engaged by contact members on the switch rod 95 for breaking the current that electrifies the solenoids 91, 92in the manner described, so as to provide that all the solenoid circuits may be discontinued by action of any one of the curtains being carried above its intended run, and, as has already been explained, each solenoid singly by action of its own automatically operated switch will break the motor circuit when it has raised or lowered its curtain to the extent required.

The diagram, Fig. 5, is plotted for a layout to include six pairs of solenoids to operate six curtains or drops, it being understood that the number of solenoid pairs may be increased as desired by following the plan of the diagramas hereinabove explained.

1. In a device having a rotatable drum for raising and lowering curtains, a worm gear loosely mounted upon a non-rotatable shaft and operably supporting said drum; a worm keyed to a rotatable shaft and in mesh with said gear; a pair of oppositely disposed spur gears loosely mounted upon said rotatable shaft; a clutch member splined on said shaft intermediate said spur gears; engaging teeth upon both faces of said clutch member and upon the adjacent faces of said gears; an electrically driven motor for actuating said spur gears; solenoids for alter-' nately actuating said splin'edmember into tooth engagement with said spur gears; automatic means operated by said curtain for shutting off the current from said motor; and adJustable means operated by the solenoids for shutting off the current to either of said solenoids.

2. In a device having a rotatable drum for raising and lowering theatricalcurtains, a plurality of cables connecting each of said curtains to a drum; a worm gear loosely mounted upon a non-rotatable shaft and operably supporting said drum; a worm keyed to a rotatable shaft transversely disposed to said non-rotatable shaft in mesh with said drum supporting gear; a pair of oppositely driven spur gears loosely mounted upon said rotatable shaft, a clutch member splined to said shaft therebetween; means comprising a pair of solenoids for sliding said intermediate clutch member to operably engage either of said spur gears; and adjustable means on saidlast mentioned shaft for automatically breaking the circuit that energizes the solenoid that is active, said means comprising a thread upon said shaft, a traveling member thereon, and circuit breaking switches adjustably attachable at any predetermined point of the travel of said member.

3. In a unit device having rotatable drums for raising and lowering theater curtains, a non-rotatable shaft having a plurality of worm gears loosely mounted thereon and operably supporting said drums; a series of parallel shafts rotatably disposed transversely to said first mentioned shaft, each rotatable shaft having a worm pinned thereon in mesh with a worm gear, a pair of loosely mounted spur gears with laterally projecting clutching teeth and a splined clutch member intermediate said gear members having clutch teeth upon its respective faces corresponding to said first mentioned teeth; a series of oppositely disposed solenoids corresponding in number and arrangement to said rotatable shafts and means comprising a system of electric circuitsfor energizing any one or more of said solenoids.

4. In a device having a rotatable drum for raising and lowering theater curtains, means for operating said drum comprising oppositely rotatable gear members loosely mounted upon a rotatable shaft and a slid able member therebetween splined to said shaft; a spring actuated brake supported within said drum and normally holding the same against rotation; solenoids for reciprocating said slidable member; means comprising a lever pivotally supported adja cent said solenoids and adapted to slide said member into engagement with either of said gear clutch members and simultaneously releasing said brake.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

EDWARD J Do AN. PASGHAL TATORE. 

